As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass. In the US, up to 80 percent of Americans over 50 have a balance of fat to muscle that is far from ideal. This imbalance puts people at increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and ultimately, heart disease and stroke, not to mention cancer, bone issues, and chronic pain.
Fortunately, muscle loss can be reversed. Research has shown that people of all ages can increase their muscle mass through resistance training. This type of exercise has several key benefits for older adults in their 60s and beyond. These benefits include:
- Improved cholesterol profile
We naturally accumulate fat as we age, regardless of diet. However, increasing muscle mass leads to decreasing the overall lipid content in the body. Research has shown that increasing muscle mass by about three or four pounds triggers an equal drop in total body fat. Moreover, resistance training leads to gain in high-density lipid cholesterol, the good fat in the body, while helping to eliminate low-density lipid cholesterol, the bad fat. Exercise with weights has also been correlated to an overall reduction in triglycerides. All of this helps protect your heart and lower your risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Increased bone density
Many people struggle with bone density as they age. In fact, muscle loss has been tied directly to decreases in bone density. Studies, however, have found significant increases in bone mineral density in participants after only a few months of regular resistance training. This same increase is not seen among people who do only cardio.
Regular resistance training has emerged as the most productive way of strengthening the musculoskeletal system and preventing injury. Broken bones can be severely debilitating as we age, so decreasing the chance of fracture is extremely important. Denser bones are much more resilient.
- Reduced blood pressure at rest
One of the most significant contributors to cardiovascular disease in the world is hypertension. In the United States, nearly half of all adults have elevated blood pressure. This has an effect not just on your heart and your blood vessels, but also on other important organs like your kidneys and eyes. For many people, getting blood pressure under control is the most important factor in reducing cardiovascular event risk. Many studies have proven that resistance training generates profound reductions in resting blood pressure. While this benefit is not immediate, it builds over time and continues to protect you for as long as you are regularly engaging in resistance training.
- Mitigated levels of physical discomfort
One of the key reasons for older people to engage in strength training is the impact it has on physical discomfort. Many of us dread getting older because of the new pains that arise, but there is something we can do, especially for those of us with certain types of pain. For example, lower back pain is extremely common in the United States. People with this type of pain can get relief by strengthening the muscles of the lower back. This can lead to improved mobility and keep you mobile longer as you age. Resistance training can also be helpful with other forms of physical discomfort we experience as we get older, including fibromyalgia and arthritis.
- Enhanced glycemic control
Diabetes has become a serious health epidemic in the United States primarily because of the many effects that it has on the body, especially as we age. Maintaining a proper muscle mass and level of fitness is key to reducing the risk of developing diabetes, especially for those with a strong genetic predisposition to the disease. Whether you are trying to keep your risk low, stave off insulin insensitivity already apparent in your labs, or get your existing diabetes under control, resistance training is a great option. Studies have shown improved glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in participants after only a few weeks of strength training.
- Boosted overall mental health
All regular exercise, including strength training, is associated with mental health benefits, particularly lower levels of depression and improved self-esteem. Furthermore, people who engage in regular exercise tend to report reductions in stress and tension and a greater overall feeling of tranquility. Especially among older adults, regular exercise can decrease the frequency and intensity of mood disturbances while encouraging positive engagement with the people around them. In older adults, mental health symptoms often present differently and become harder to diagnose, so it is important to be proactive in keeping these symptoms at bay.